Fuel tank lock



July 31,1934. F. E. SCHNEIDER FUEL TANK LOCK I Filed April 9, 1931 y//I//ll/I/I/.l/

III/'lill :g1/wanton FRED 5. SCHNEIDR dwell/M414 Patented July 31, 1934 UNITED STATES FUEL` TANK LOCK Fred E. Schneider, Grand Junction, Colo., as- Vsignor to Schneider Lock Company, a corporation of Colorado Application April `9, 1931, serial N0. 528,883

4 Claims.

This invention relates to fuel tank locks, and has forits object the production of a simple and efficient lock forfuel tanks mounted upon automobiles and other vehicles, which lockis so con- `i structed as to prevent the removal of the cap by unauthorized parties,and thereby eifectively prevent the siphoning of gasoline from the tank and likewise preventing the likelihood of the vehicle being stolen in `View of" the impossibility of refilling the tank with gasoline by such unauthorized parties.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel lock for gasoline tanks of the above character, which will be durable and eflicient in use, one

V that will be very simple and easy to manufacture, and one which can be place-d upon the market at a reasonable cost. Y

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, ar-

rangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which drawing:-`

Figure 1 is a Vertical section through the neck 253f the tank showing the cap mounted thereon;

Figure 2 is a section taken on line 2--2 of Figure 1; f

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional viewthrough the cap showing the relative position vof 'the primary `and auxiliary yokes when the cap is in a locked position;

Figure 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3 showing the yokes in relative locked position;

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view showing the position of the yokes when in an unlocked position;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the primary yokes, and

Figure 7 is a perspective View of the auxiliary yokes.

401'?, By referring to the drawing it will be seen that 1 designates the neck of the fuel tank, which may be of any suitable or desired construction, having a rolled-over inwardly extending ange 2, which is preferably turned downwardly to constitute a ;.*f1ange 3. This inwardly turned flange 2 is provided with a plurality of diametrically opposite slots or notches 4.

A cap 6, having an annular flange 7, is adapted to fit over the neck 1, as clearly shown in Figures 505.111 and 3 of the drawing, and a sealing washer, gasket or packing washer 8 is mounted upon the inner face of the cap 6 and is adapted to fit snugly upon the rolled-over flange 2 to constitute a seal around the upper edge of the neck 1. A suitable 55.' barrel-lock 9 is carried by the cap 6 and preferably sticks through an oval or elongated opening formed in the cap 6 as is usual with such type of lock, in order to prevent the rotation of the barrellock 9 independent of the cap 6. The lock 9 is provided with a suitable over-hanging fiange 10, which ange 10 overhangs the top of the cap 6, as clearly shown in Figure 1; The barrel of the lock is preferably threaded and upon this threaded barrel is mounted a nut 11, which nut is adapted lto firmly secure the primary yoke 12 against the inner face of the cap 6, as shown clearly in Figure 1.

In carrying out this invention, a plurality of yokes are employed as clearly shown in the drawing, one yoke being referred to as the `primary yoke l2, which primary yoke l2 is mounted upon the barrel-lock 9 and fiXe-dly secured thereto through the clamping action of the nut 11. This primary yoke 12 is provided with anY elongated opening 13 for the purpose of fixing the primary yoke 12 upon the barrel-lock 9 and in this way prevent the independent movement `of the primary yoke 12 with respect to the barrel-lock 9. This primary yoke 12 is provided with a pair of oppositely arranged laterally extending downwardly bent arms 14 which terminate in outwardly extending and inwardlybent hooks 15, which hooks 15 are adapted to pass into the notches 4 formed in the flange 2, so that the cap cannot be rotated iipon the neck 1, but remains in a stationary'posilon.

It should be understood that the conventional type of cylinder or barrel-lock 9 is employed and no attempt is made to illustrate the particular construction of this lock, the same being the usual type used upon doors and other articles of similar nature where a lock of such structure is desired. For instance the well-known type of pin tumbler lock or others may be used if desired. In this type of lock, a suitable cylinder 16 is employed which is released and locked with respect to the barrel 9 through the medium of an insertable key 17.

An auxiliary yoke 18 is secured to the lower end of the cylinder 16 and is secured thereto by means of a screw 19 and locking washer 20. This auxiliary yoke 18 is provided with a plurality of upwardly extending and outwardly diverged arms 21, having laterally extending tongues 22, which tongues 22 are adapted to fit in the hook portions 15 of the primary yoke 12, as clearly shown in the drawing. After the device has been placed in the position as illustrated in Figure 2, the key 17 is actuated so as to permit the cylinder 16 t0 rotate within the barrel 9, and the auxiliary yoke the primary yoke and cause the projecting tongue 22 to t in the hooks 15.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that a very simple and efcient means has been produced for locking the cap of an automobilek tank and the like in a firm position upon the neck of the tank in such a manner as to prevent the unauthorized removal of the cap from the tank.

It should be understood that certain detail changes and the mechanical construction may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention so long as these changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In combination with a tank provided with a neck having an inwardly extending annular flange, said ange provided with notches formed therein, a cap adapted to fit over vsaid neck, a yoke carried by said cap and provided with a pair of laterally extending fingers adapted f to fit through vsaid notches and engage the sides thereof for anchoring said cap against rotation, a .lock carried by said cap, said lock provided with a rotating post adapted to be locked in and out of engagement with said cap, a swinging bolt carried by said'post and adapted to be brought into and out of registration with said ngers, and said swingingk bolt provided with means adapted to be brought out of registration with said fingers and adapted to extend under said flange for pre venting the removal of said cap from said neck by unauthorized parties without the proper manipulation of said lock.

2. In a device as described, a cap for a filler opening for a tank, said cap having a disk-like section over the opening and a flange vto engage the neck of the opening, a lock having a lock housing extending through the disk portion, said lock housing being threaded externally, a nut vthreaded thereon, a pair of fixed fingers secured on the lock housing by the nut, said lock having a rotatable barrel with a bolt actuated thereby.

3. In a device as described, having a tank with an upstanding neck and a lling opening therein, said neck provided with an inwardly extending annular flange having a pair of vertical notches diametrically opposite each other, a capv fitting over said neck and having a pair of depending and laterally extending ngers, said fingers being insertable through said notches and engaging the sides thereof for anchoring the cap against rotation, a locking mechanism extending through the center or" said cap, said mechanism having a barrel with a rotatable post therein on which is mounted a swinging bolt, said bolt being adapted to be brought into alignment and registration with said iingers and insertable therewith through said notches in placing the cap on the neck, said bolt also being adapted to be rotated beneath the surface of said iange and to contact and engage the same, in which position the cap is iirmly clamped to the neck and cannot be removed until said bolt is brought back into alignment with said ngers.

4. In a device of the class described, in combination with a tank having a lling opening and an upstanding neck provided with an inwardly extending rim formed in two cam-shaped parts separated by a pair of diametrically opposite notches therein, each'part of the cam sloping from a high to a low end, a cap for said lling opening and neck, said cap having a mounted gasket to t on the rim of the neck and a iiange to engage the upper outside portion of said neck, a pair of laterally extending fingers carried by said cap, said ngers being insertable through said notches to engage the sides thereof for anchoring the cap against rotationon the neck, a locking mechanism extending through the center of said cap, said mechanism having a barrel with a rotatable post therein on which is mounted a swinging bolt, said bolt when in alignment and registration with said ngers being insertable therewith through said notches, from which position said bolt may be projected beneath the surface of the cams for contacting and engaging the same and preventing the removal of the cap from the neck until said bolt'is retracted to align with said fingers.

FRED E. SCHNEIDER. 

